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Although I managed to get away with shoes without socks twice this week, I don’t have high hopes that us Torontonians will be baring our legs or arms to the elements any time soon, which means one unfortunate thing: more of the same everything you’ve been wearing for the past forever. I don’t know if it’s been a particularly long winter or a lack of wardrobe expansion thanks a a tight budget, but on a daily basis I look at my rather large, very full closet and proclaim “Uggghhh, I have ABSOLUTELY nothing to wear!” This, of course, couldn’t be further from the truth. I have plenty to wear, I’m just (a) sick of it, (b) not quite sure how to style it, or (c) don’t know what shoes to wear with it in this strange and unpleasant climate.

Hence my “participation” in Dean Street Society‘s “Style Me April Closet & Instagram Challenge.” The premise is simple: each day has a theme to help provide some outfit ideas and hopefully get you thinking outside of your go-to-outfit box. I referenced my “participation” in quotes, because the idea behind the challenge is merely to provide inspiration. There are no real rules and certainly no prizes, except, perhaps, a new way of looking at your existing wardrobe. Moreover, I’m currently unemployed / quasi working from home, so getting dressed in anything but lulu’s isn’t even a thing that happens every day. That said, in honour of a new month, this evening’s date, and this blog post, today I will be living up to the challenge and “Skirting Around Town.”

So, I’m sorry to report this, but it appears that summer is never coming. Ever. And I wonder why I’m not at all inspired to shop when I walk past stores with my fur-lined hood blocking my peripheral vision. Except one thing happened last week: the SUN came out! I’ll still grumble about the cold, but the sunshine definitely helps. The moral of this long-winded story is this: forget spring shopping because it’s not coming – but definitely buy some new sunglasses, because you may need those. This is how I’ve decided to update my wardrobe for the upcoming “season”.

I started searching the trends of the eyewear season (yup, it’s a thing) to update my classic aviator look. The fashion consensus is as follows: cat eyes, embellishments, coloured frames and plastic “james dean” looks are all the rage. Timing couldn’t have been more perfect for Kelly and I to get an email from our favorite eyeglass outfitters Warby Parker asking us to share the launch of their latest sunnies. Suddenly my spring shopping list is complete:

Maybe I should back up for a minute. Are you familiar with Warby Parker? These are ultra-stylish, cheap (read: from $120 pair, including prescription lenses) glasses that are delivered to your door. I wasn’t entirely sold until I visited a showroom in New York City and tried the frames on, but I am now and they haven’t left my face. Kelly ordered hers by mail and now we are Warby Parker twinsies, only I wear the Percies and she wears the Holcombs. The at-home try-on system lets you pick five frames, have them sent to you by mail to try on, gives you 5 days to live with them and send them back (free return shipping), then you can place your order. Once you place an order, a pair of glasses gets made and sent to someone in need, too. A charitable spin is always a feel-good thing.

Pantone recently announced its 2014 colour of the year and as a devotee of 2013’s stunning emerald green, I immediately went into colour mourning. Radiant orchid? Sure, this light pinky purple hybrid could be pretty in the spring, but the colour of the year? I wasn’t convinced. So off to google I went.

While I standby my initial reaction to the colour’s lavender leaning shades, to the extent its “radiance” errs on the side of fuchsia, I’ve decided to get on board. Whatever your colour preferences, there’s no need to wait for warmer weather (or even for the colour’s official debut in the new year). A smoky purple is super cozy with knit greys and winter whites and a brighter magenta tone pops against black. Give it a test run this winter as you’re likely to be seeing a lot of it come spring.

The winter season may not have officially started, but the cold certainly has. Welcome to the Canadian dilemma: how to stay reasonably stylish while not freezing to death. I find most fashion magazines, blogs, etc. extremely unhelpful in this regard. Canvas, leather and light weight synthetics just don’t cut it in this country and while Canada Goose parkas certainly fit the warmth bill, they’re somewhat lacking in the style category. So Canada, here you go: a collection of coats to take you from November through to March in a variety of styles, price points and warmth factors, for both men and women.

This blog aims to celebrate the awesome, the unique, the creative, the positive, and the beautiful that surrounds us. It is also very much an ode to our beloved city; no matter how far we travel and and yearn to run away and rave about cities like San Francisco and Buenos Aires, Toronto is home and number one in our hearts.

While reading the Editor’s Letter in Issue 7 of PRODUCT magazine written by Editor-in-Chief and self-titled “Cultural Curator” Kyle Kofsky it became very evident that PRODUCT and For the Love of Awesome are clearly in pursuit of similar goals. Kyle describes the magazine’s mission as profiling the lives of Torontonians who have found success while choosing to live positively and to better their own lives and the lives of those around them, whatever their backgrounds and pursuits.